I have a few entries I have been working on for a few days. But I had a journey of web links that led me back to Alex Jones’ websites. I actually feel a bit foolish for trying to dissect The Obama Deception... knowing already that it was an Alex Jones Production.
Anyone that knows me personally, knows that I am a not a conspiracy theorist . . . I believe many of these deceptions of government control and exercises in power are not theories, but merely facts. I frequently cite Operation Ajax in reference to the situations in the Middle East. I talk about the Opium Wars, Commodore Perry in Japan, Oliver North, elite manipulation, false consciousness, government assassinations and the list really goes on. These are not “theories.” We know about Operation Ajax, it has been declassified.
I do have suspicions of other events, and vocalize them when appropriate. Like in the assassination of Patrice Lumumba. Not long ago, documents were declassified that showed the CIA was, in fact, involved in the displacement of the elected President of the Democratic Republic of Congo in favor of the murderous bastard Mobutu Sese Seko.
When I read the works of Alex Jones, I am initially left with little reaction. I have tried to watch several of his dozens of films. Some of his conclusions are about as sound as the Flying Spaghetti Monster or New Age wizards that talk about the healing properties of crystals the aliens left on Earth. He has made so many films, I cannot believe that there has been any laborious research involved in any of them. These movies come out faster than Steven King cranks out a new book.
Not long ago, I attempted to watch Terrorstorm. It is billed as “A History of Government-Sponsored Terrorism” – which sounds well enough. Upon watching this film, it became clear that, although it was not exactly false, there were a lot of broad leaps and gaps of missing information.
I think there is a strong correlation between the Reichstag fire and other events utilized by governments to garner public support. This film failed to make that case. (I’m really only going on memory, so I cannot cite anything specific at the moment.) I happened to study, quite extensively, the rise of Hitler to power in pre-War Germany. This was not detailed in Terrorstorm. It was more like a bulletpoint presentation of events the author felt would deliver the most impact.
This is where a major problem lies in the cult of Alex Jones. It isn’t about delivering the information that most supports the evidence that leads one to the conclusion. It is about delivering the information that elicits the strongest emotional response that leads one to want to jump to that conclusion. This is really nothing more than junk science.
I recently read this comment on a discussion thread somewhere (I do not recall the exact discussion at the moment) where this person stated that “races of people are different because their genetics are too dissimilar” or something like that and pointed out cranium sizes and nose shapes and athletic ability. My problem with the comment was not that it was false, but that it was true. It read like some detailed scientific observation, when really it was a generalized statement strung to other generalized statements. Every human beings’ genetic makeup is dissimilar to another human being, which gives us genetic variation. In other words: We are not clones. But we are all the same species. The allusion was that Negroids and Caucasians were as genetically different as dogs and wolves. This is false. Chimpanzees and humans are as genetically dissimilar as dogs and wolves. Humans are as dissimilar as a poodle and a labrador. (I thought about it a bit, and I’m not sure if wolves and dogs can share blood with the same type. If anyone knows if this is true, I’d like to know. If I find out, I’ll put it up here. – By the way: Humans and chimpanzees can share blood.) Literally, this persons comments were junk science.
Junk science is the misuse of science to support a social or political agenda. In example: I want racism to be validated by science – I will use genetics to support my racist ideology. If any scientific evidence contradicts my ideology, I will discard those parts. If any scientist makes a claim that supports my will, I will incorporate it as scientific fact.
Alex Jones does this with conspiracies. From his FEMA death camps, to the Obama anti-Christ, the New World Order and every other conspiracy he supports though his junk science has one valid application: It invalidates any real light that may be shed on abuse of power or attempts to coerce and control. Alex Jones has been able to inundate the internet and independent publications with so many conspiracy theories, that if a valid story about an attempt by aliens to use Lady GaGa to institute the New World Order for President Obama and send people into death camps to turn them into fuel for a parallel dimension, nobody would believe it. It would just be the rantings of “another Alex Jones fan.”
Operation Ajax was real. We know now that it was indeed a plot by the United States and the United Kingdom to coerce and control a foreign country. In 1953, the Eisenhower administration overthrew the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in Iran. The problem was that British Petroleum was in control of the oil mines in Iran and Mosaddegh was going to nationalize the oil reserves in Iran (and turn the profits to the people of Iran, rather then BP executive in England). The CIA paid ‘thugs’ to protest and riot to make the people of Iran believe that there was popular support for the opposition to Mosaddegh.
The after effects of the coup d’état in Iran was the Shah Pahlavi seized power. All political dissent was repressed with an iron fist. All opposition to the government was eliminated. The Shah ran a brutal regime until he left in 1979 (in exile) and Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Moosavi Khomeini took over. Because of the actions of the US and UK, Iran today is an Islamic Republic and Operation Ajax has never been forgotten.
There is enough there to keep any real conspiracy enthusiast enthralled for years. Relations between Iran and the United States are still strained. Relations between Islam and the West are still strained. Fifty years later, the effects of Operation Ajax are still being felt.
Why bring all of these details up? Well, because I simply stated a few significant events and actions that precipitated a situation. There is no need for me to throw in ominous music and grand allusions as to what it means for the world. It can mean a lot of things. Are the tensions between Iran and the United States a direct or indirect result of Operation Ajax? Well, that is debatable. Is the tension between Muslims and Americans direct or indirect? We can debate it. But we cannot really make a grand statement and then jump to death camps and a new world order.
What even gets to me more with all of this Alex Jones propaganda is the pro-Conservative/Libertarian slant it takes. If there is any movement that is against elitism and domination, it is the radical Left. (I would say, “Only in America could the Conservatives claim to be the only ones to stand in the way of the wealthy elites.” But I won’t. I’ll just say that I wanted to say it.)
In contemporary cinema: The Matrix was an overly simplistic story of Marxist theory. (It was way too simple, and the sequels just gave any chance of redemption away.) They Live was an entertaining view on Marxist theory. Dawn of the Dead (1979) was a stand against corporate control and American consumerism. Night of the Living Dead (1968) was an allegory of the masses’ movement for equality. Land of the Dead was about class conflict. There are many of these examples of Leftist theory in contemporary stories that are well received by the American public. The reason is that the Leftist theory is not named and instead we are shown the “little guy” fighting against the “power elite.” This is the essence of Marxism. Class conflict is all over Alex Jones’ theories – and yet, conservatives are the ones tending to latch on to it…
And this leads me to the dangers of Junk Science. I have come across more than a few militia-style, anti-government types lately that really strike me as better armed, less educated, modern-day Klansmen. “The Gub’ment trying to enslave all of us.” And then they take their anger out on people who are more disenfranchised: Blacks, Asians, Latinos, Women, Homeless, Gays, whoever else is left. And there is talk about the whole Wiki Leaks thing right now. I think the issue is far more complicated than anyone wants to admit. Obviously, we have a government that is supposed to have oversight and transparency. This is critical to democratic governments. At the same time, there ARE issues of national security. There are people trying to kill Americans or harm the United States and the US Government has a duty to stop them. Just like there are Christian fanatics in the mountains that want to Jim Jones the whole population, there are Muslim extremists that want to bring a Jihad to the world. (I’m not claiming that Muslims are the enemy, but some Muslims are enemies. So are some Christians. I think most Buddhists and Atheists could care less about killing for a higher power, though.) Violating national security can be a dangerous thing. (And yes, I did say the same thing during President Bush’s administration.) On the same hand, we need to have muckrakers that expose corruption. I do not really have a hard line stance on the issue yet – I really think it is not that simple. I also think, just being contrary to the government is not a solution. Just because the government wants to do something, does not mean it is part of a New World Plan for control or extermination.
Sarah Palin took a jab at the First Lady for promoting healthy diets for children. She basically claimed that if people want fat children with lower brain development, rotten teeth, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic ailments due to poor nutrition, then they should be able to do that. People who believe this: I have a question for you. Do you believe I should be allowed to tie my child to the bed post, repeatedly rape them and beat them with a belt buckle? Even if I do it because I’m trying to teach them a lesson? What if I beat them but not rape them? What if I feed them frequently and beat them? What if I make them eat only food that I drop on the floor?
Now people are angry at welfare recipients for not having opportunities. They are angry at “illegal immigrants.” They are angry at complaining Blacks and Latinos. They are angry at Muslims for believing differently. They are angry at Jews for whatever anti-semetic reason is the flavor of the month. They are angry at gay people for wanting to marry each other. They are angry at the politicians that cannot get anyone to agree with anyone else. But no one is mad at Koch Industries, DuPont, Wal-Mart and all the other mega-corporations that are telling you that you have to be productive.
If you want to be happy, you have to buy stuff. If you do not buy stuff, the economy will collapse and your children will not love you. If we do not give the wealthy tax breaks, they will not spend their money and nothing will “trickle down.” Because, that is what is really going on.
The gap between rich and poor has not been wider in the United States in almost a hundred years. The wealthy have grown over 250% since 1970. The middle class has grown 11%.
The bottom 98% of the United States is having a serious debate right now. There are a lot of people that think the top 2% of the wealthy in the United States should not have their taxes go back to the rate they were in 2001. (Which is still lower than it was during Reagan.) They think that people who cannot afford health care should just go without, or get minimal care. (People who are wealthy will still get the best health care in the world.)
There is an old African proverb which states: A fat slave will claim he is free.
The government is not trying to enslave you. The corporations already have.
*note* I didn’t cite much in this article. Just to give credit, Alex Jones’ sites are here:
Good job and a great way to end the post ( not with the AJ mention, but in reminding readers of other reasons to consider for being ‘angry’ about the state of things in our country ). Also, I am relieved that AJ’s fans only ever consistently number in, maximum, the thousands and that the millions of Americans tend to still think rationally and logically. Here’s hoping it stays that way because the last thing we need right now is another facist power struggle circa WW2
The rise in popularity of Alex Jones in the past month or so really scares me. But it is also nice to see so many people think he’s as much of a babbling idiot as Beck or Limbaugh, if not worse.